Space Activities: 8 Things You Didn’t Know Are Happening in The Outer World

Even though many people may not know, there are many space activities that are going on and are being planned. While many of these space activities are driven behind trying to understand the outer space even better, there are some that are about human survival.

Attempts have been made by humans as a result of the fear for the safety of the earth and humanity to see if other planets could provide another home for humans.

So far, it is only the Mars that seem somewhat promising even though humans are yet to have their foot stepped on the planet.

Although there are many space activities going on, here are some that we can bet you do not know, even though you should:

China Wants to Grow Potatoe on Moon

After it has successfully been established that it could grow on Mars, scientists from China have started the process of having potatoes planted on the moon. This is one of the things the country is hoping to achieve with its Chang’e 4 mission to the outer space in 2018.

It has been reached that potatoes have the ability to survive extreme conditions and that is why there are indications that they can actually survive on Mars. Nevertheless, because it is even more extreme on the moon, the scientists will not plant it directly in lunar regolith (soil).

Instead, they are creating a small ecosystem for the seed to grow on. The ecosystem will be powered by batteries. While revealing the plan at the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2017) in Beijing, they also indicate that they will also send silkworm eggs inside the ecosystem.

Of all the space activities happening, this will rather be interesting because it will be streamed live for the world to see as the seed grows.

Mining the Moon for Fuel

Mining the Moon for Fuel

Even though the last time humans stepped a foot on the extra-terrestrial environment was as much as 45 years ago, now scientists are contemplating going to the moon to start mining fuel for the journey to Mars.

They intend to set a lunar fueling station for spacecraft. Any journey to space will be launched from the earth directly and that means fuel is moved from the earth directly. Nevertheless, with the fueling station, another launch can be initiated from the moon.

How easy can that be? Well, the thing is that rocket fuel is made from hydrogen-oxygen propellant, which is itself made from ice. That is one thing that is very abundant on some part of the moon.

Mini Space Station to be built near the Moon

Another interesting activity that will soon happen in the outer world is the setting of a mini station very close to the moon. This is all part of the preparations as man tries to make it to Mars.

The attempt to build the base is championed by NASA as they try to give astronauts an opportunity to build and test systems they would need in various space expeditions.

You can expect this attempt to build the station which will be called the Gateway Station to begin in 2023.

First space competition worth $5 Million

Space activities are not all about work and more work. There is as well fun. Or maybe, it is such work that makes you feel it’s fun since you may just end with $5 million.

To be called the Cube Quest Challenge, the competition would be launched in 2019 and it will have contestants (individuals or organisations) launch small CubeSat satellites on the inaugural launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in 2019.

More so, the competition will also have teams racing above Earth by up to 4 million kilometres (2.5 million miles). They will also be expected to race around the Moon.

First “Space Nation” Being Planned

Idea of the space nation

Just as the earth has its nations, attempts have begun to give space its first nation, and it will be called Asgardia, while its inhabitants would be called Asgardians.

The idea was first announced by a Russian scientist, Igor Ashurbeyli on October 12, 2016. His aim is simply to have people settled in space. Even as so many people believe the scientist is only wasting his time, an announcement has been made that a satellite, Asgardia-1, which will be their first presence on space will soon be launched.

Right now, there are over 215,000 people from over 200 countries that have signed up as Asgardians and soon they would be voting on the country’s declaration, constitution, national flag, insignia, and national anthem.

2018 Set for Launch of Mars InSight Mission

NASA has set 2018 for the launch of its insight mission to Mars. The mission is with the aim of studying the deep interior of Mars and it was earlier scheduled for March of this year.

To begin on May 5, 2018, the mission is expected to have a Mars landing date of Nov. 26, 2018. The primary goal of the InSight mission is to help NASA understand how rocky planets formed and evolved.

Colonisation of Mars

Elon Musk: Meet the man behind the colonisation of Mars

Do you remember how many parts of the world were colonised by the then world powers? Well, the same fate is about to befall Mars. This is as Elon Musk who is one of the biggest voices when it comes to human journey to the outer space wants to do with Mars.

He revealed this in an article he just released in academic journal New Space. According to him, colonisation of the Mars is very important because soon he believes that there would be an extinction of humanity if we remain on earth.

He said the only way to survive doomsday is to have more than one planet. All that is needed is to warm up Mars, and he thinks that is very possible.

He is not the only one that has advocated for this, as people including one of the greatest in physics, Stephen Hawking has advocated for humans to start looking for another world immediately. Don’t think either of these men is joking.

Mars and the Risk of Cancer

Of all the activities going on outside the world and on the Mars, in particular, is that even as the race to reach the planet is heating up, it is not without any risk. And no, it is not aliens, it is cancer.

This is as a result of the high rate of radiation that exists on the planet. From what was earlier believed, the chances of astronauts getting cancer has significantly doubled following more researches.

Not only will more damage be done to already bad cells, but good ones would be destroyed as well during the journey. This is as a result of the cosmic rays that exist out there.

What this means is that there is cancer possibility in the outer world to a very large degree. It’s perharps, the biggest trouble identified with the space activities.